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Friday, December 5, 2014

Up-coming Film brings to life Richard Wagner’s “Jesus of Nazareth”

German Composer Richard Wagner has had a huge
influence on music and culture, from his Wedding March to the unmistakable
influence of Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung” upon J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The
Lord of the Rings.” His influence can also be heard in the musical scores of
several movies; in fact, Wagner’s music was used in the scores of “Apocalypse
Now” and “Excalibur.”

Now, one of Wagner’s unfinished works is coming to the
big screen. Stephen Andrew Missick is partnering with WalkerCable Productions,
of Conroe, Texas to film an adaptation of Richard Wagner’s “Jesus of Nazareth.”

“Richard Wagner created a detailed outline for a play
entitled “Jesus of Nazareth.” With it he wrote extensive notes and a Bible
study with commentary. I have written a screenplay based upon the original
writings of Richard Wagner,” Missick said. The screenplay is based on Wagner’s
writings for his unfinished “Jesus of Nazareth” play and “The Love-feast of the
Apostles.” Das Liebesmahl der Apostel (in English "The Love-Feast of the
Apostles") is a piece for orchestra and male choruses that Richard Wagner
composed in 1843 that tells story of the first Pentecost, as told in the second
chapter of the book of The Acts of the Apostles, in music.

Wagner worked on the play “Jesus of Nazareth” from
1848 until 1849 before abandoning the project. It is possible Wagner used certain
aspects of “Jesus of Nazareth” in his later operas such as “Parsifal.”

The score to the film “Richard Wagner’s Jesus of
Nazareth” will be completely derived from the works of Richard Wagner.

The movie will be funded through kickstarter. Rev.
Missick says that he hopes to raise $175,000 on kickstarer for the project.

WalkerCable has produced several movies in a variety
of genres.

It is anticipated that the movie will be filmed on
film-sets in Texas.

Rev. Missick is an ordained minister and served as a
chaplain in the army during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In the official numbering of Wagner’s works “Jesus of
Nazareth” is WWV 80 and the “Love Feast of the Apostles” is WWV 69